Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) has launched a survey to better understand the needs and expectations of its users.
PROV is the archives of the State Government of Victoria, holding over 100 km of records dating from the 1830s to the present day.
In a statement, PROV said survey feedback would help it establish guidelines around what to publish online.
“Our collection includes records of immigration and shipping, criminal trials and prisons, royal commissions and boards of inquiry, health and welfare, wills and probates and much more,” PROV said.
“Open records in the State archives are available to PROV’s Reading Room visitors,” it said.
“But organising a trip to our Reading Rooms is not always practical and the expectation is that we will digitise and provide online access to as many records as we can.”
PROV said many historic records were digitised and available on its website and visitors could request copies of open records that weren’t already online.
The Office said it was launching a new system that would allow it to publish those ad hoc copies straight to its website.
“Just because we can publish all copies we make, does that mean we should?” it said.
“We recognise that some kinds of frequently copied records may not be suitable to publish.”
PROV said it wanted to hear people’s thoughts about online publishing of open public records that contained graphic, distressing or personal information of people both living and deceased.
It said people could have a say on the publication of records until 10 August and it was keen to hear from records and information professionals as well as people who regularly accessed public records.
PROV’s survey can be accessed at this PS News link.
